


a shrine for a boy

by trilobites



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Brunch, Canon Compliant, Conversations, Emotional Constipation, Extended Metaphors, Food, Hinata Shouyou in Love, Hotels, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Time Skip, Public Display of Affection, Surprises, Two Idiots on a Wire, Yelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28162101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trilobites/pseuds/trilobites
Summary: Despite his uncertainty about how to tell Atsumu of his move to São Paulo, Hinata takes action. Things do not go according to plan.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu
Comments: 18
Kudos: 131





	a shrine for a boy

The idea of eating brunch in a hotel was exciting—or, well, eating _brunch_ at all—with the mood lighting and low din of conversation and shiny mirrors lining the outermost walls. Hinata may have been to Brazil and back, but he was still a country boy at heart: the cosmopolitan would always be novel and a little exotic to him. If he felt self-conscious about ogling at the sights of the lounge, he didn’t need to be. Across the table from him was Atsumu, who’d been trying to pretend like he hadn’t been staring at the crystal chandelier at the atrium’s epicenter for the past seven minutes. Hinata hid his smile by taking a sip from his glass and watched Atsumu from over the rim.

The dress code was ‘smart casual,’ and although Atsumu had complained about being treated by MSBY’s so-called cutest junior at a place that imposed a dress code, he’d slicked his hair into a neat combover and even worn a blazer. And here Hinata had thought that his forest green button-up with the stiff collar and linen pants would more than fit the bill. Of course, Atsumu wouldn’t have been Atsumu if he could be outdone so easily.

Hinata pushed at the food on his plate, feeling strangely nervous. Or maybe it wasn’t that strange after all. It wasn’t every day that it was just him and Atsumu sitting in a hotel lounge with proper silverware (the forks only had three tines!) and a starched tablecloth. Also…

“So, uh, what’s the occasion?” Atsumu asked.

Hinata startled a little and straightened his shoulders. “‘Occasion’?”

“Y’know, for the hotel and the everythin’.” Atsumu swiveled his finger around. Then his eyebrows rose as if he’d come to some realization. “Wait, don’t tell me: you already brought other people on the team here and I’m just the last in line!”

“What? No.” Hinata shook his head. “Definitely not! I mean, not that it would be weird if I had! I just haven’t.”

Atsumu pursed his lips in consideration. “Huh, ‘kay.”

Truth be told, Hinata did have an occasion for bringing Atsumu to this hotel. It was an announcement finalized in an email and a phone call just a week ago. Hinata had talked it over with the MSBY team management, and while they were sad to see him return to Brazil, they agreed that it would be best to part ways for now. The news hadn’t broken yet, but it would soon. He knew that Atsumu would find out in due time just like everyone else, so there was no reason to do this. However, he felt discontent every time he imagined Atsumu sitting one among many in the locker room or on the gymnasium floor, learning about the news the same time and place as everyone else.

“Atsumu-san,” he said. “The truth is that I have something to tell you.”

“Oh. Well, what is it?” Atsumu set down his fork (with three tines!) and looked at him expectantly.

Hinata’s heart beat quickly. He swallowed. “Um, it’s just… Well, I’m not sure how to tell you this.”

“Wait. Shit, are you sick?”

“What?”

“Y’know, like you’re dying or somethin’!” Atsumu clutched his head.

Hinata reached across the table and tugged on the cuff of Atsumu’s sleeve. “Hey! No, I’m not sick. At least, not that I know. My doctor told me I’m really healthy. Like freakishly so.”

Atsumu’s face went slack with relief. “Oh, okay. Good.” Then he smiled a sheepishly. It was a little goofy, but Hinata would never tell. “Sorry, I’ve been watching too many old dramas with Samu and Aran-kun.”

Silly as it was, Atsumu’s reaction and his subsequent relief sent relief coursing through Hinata as well. In that moment, his nervousness dissipated and was supplanted by fondness for Atsumu. Brash, stubborn, caring Atsumu—the one who had been his partner for the past two years. Of course he could only bear to tell him this news himself. It was because being Atsumu’s partner wasn’t unlike entering a shrine—with clean hands and heart, giving a sacrifice in hopes of being blessed with returns. He had to tread with care and not take too much of what Atsumu gave to him so freely. Atsumu really did suit his namesake.

“I’m going back to Brazil next season. I signed with a club there.”

Atsumu blinked, then he smiled wide. His eyes were practically shining. “You’re gonna play for a Brazilian club team? Congratulations! Cool! Which one?”

“Asas São Paulo.”

“Wow, not in Rio, huh? Wow. Next season, huh. Wow…” Atsumu trailed off. His brow furrowed, a sign that he was lost in his thoughts. Then he said, “You’re leavin’ the team.”

Hinata stared. He had expected Atsumu to ruffle his hair and give his congratulations, maybe complain about spikers who were always running ahead of him. He had expected for Atsumu’s reaction to settle the uneasiness that had lodged itself inside his chest ever since he first thought of telling him about São Paulo. What he got was this: Atsumu’s face scrunched up and mouth set in a firm line of displeasure, ridiculous and transparent and all together familiar. Hinata didn’t even think before his body started to move on its own. He put his hand over Atsumu’s.

“Yes, you’re right. I’m leaving the team. Um, but I don’t want to leave you.”

Rather than seeming enlightened, Atsumu seemed confused. Then he looked down at Hinata’s hand over his with wide eyes before turning back to him. “Huh?”

“I love you. Or, no—actually, I’m in love with you.”

It was Atsumu’s turn to stare, mouth gaping open and closed like those fish over there in the hotel lobby. Atsumu admittedly made a very attractive fish. When an entire minute had gone by without him moving a muscle (was he still breathing?), Hinata pulled back his hand.

The motion seemed to stir Atsumu back to life. He blinked and then his brow creased. “…what the hell, Shouyou-kun?”

Hinata tried not to feel despondent as he said, “Sorry. I know that was sudden.”

“Nah, I just… I need a moment.”

Atsumu got out of his chair without waiting for a response, and Hinata remained rooted in place. In the silence that followed, every sound in the room became doubly loud and noticeable. In the far corner of the buffet, a baby was crying and the couple three tables down was having a very civil argument about flower arrangements for their wedding. If he weren’t in public, Hinata would have thrown his head down onto the table and tried to summon some tears for dramatic effect. But here he was, waiting patiently for Atsumu to return.

“I didn’t think he would react like _that_. Stupid Atsumu-san,” he muttered. And what was wrong with this anyway? A hotel was really romantic! There was even a glass chandelier! Which apparently Atsumu loved to stare at! He’d worn pants that didn’t stretch and a shirt that didn’t clash with his hair!

By the time Atsumu returned, Hinata had worked himself into a mood. He examined the plate Atsumu was holding, which had a grand total of 5 french fries, 2 mini chocolate croissants, a slice of ham, and a scoop of fried rice. Atsumu sat down and deliberately shoved a french fry into his mouth while Hinata looked at him. He methodically put the food into his mouth and chewed, not once breaking eye contact. Hinata wanted to glare, but he also wanted to laugh. What was _wrong_ with Atsumu?

Finally, when Atsumu’s plate was clear, he pushed it forward and leaned back in his chair. Hinata glared at him before getting up and stiffly walking past the people sitting at their shiny tables with pristine tablecloths, looking like _they_ were having a romantic and delightful Saturday mid-morning brunch. Behind him trailed Atsumu. His fancy shoes clack-clack-clacked behind Hinata on the marble flooring. He was cursed.

Once they were finally outdoors and making their way into the alley shortcut to the station, Hinata stopped and turned to face Atsumu. There were passersby who looked at them warily as they sidestepped them in the narrow alley. Neither of them paid any mind, locked in a contest of wills. Hinata wouldn’t lose! But then Atsumu looked at him with those stupid melting brown eyes, hands stuffed into his pockets like he was in high school again. If he were feeling less vindictive, Hinata would have been distracted, but he wasn’t. At all.

“What was wrong with the hotel?” he demanded.

“The fuck? Nothing was wrong with the hotel!”

“Then why? It had a chandelier!”

Atsumu looked skyward, as though his patience was being tested. Like that wasn’t exactly how Hinata felt right now! He was muttering something low under his breath. Hinata found himself rising onto the balls of his feet. At best, it would only bring him up to Atsumu’s eye level—maybe—but he kind of needed all the help he could get right now.

“Huh? I can’t hear you, so you should speak up!”

Atsumu’s gaze darkened dangerously in response. A chill went up Hinata’s spine at the sight of his expression. Oh, right. There was a limit to Atsumu’s patience for him, even if he didn’t come up against it very often.

“It’s not ‘cause of the chandelier,” Atsumu growled, voice low.

“Haha, yes, not because of the chandelier…” Hinata lowered himself back to his proper height and scuffed his foot on the pavement. He peered up at Atsumu, not feeling sulky or chastised whatsoever; he was just a little unused to Atsumu losing his temper with him. He murmured low under his breath, “You could have just rejected me instead of saying nothing.”

Atsumu’s eyebrows drew together, his nose wrinkled, and then he opened his big mouth to yell loudly into the street: “HOW CAN I REJECT YOU IF I LIKE YOU TOO?”

“Oh…” Hinata breathed at the same time that Atsumu groaned, “Oh, fuck it!”

One of the side-street shop doors slid open with a crash, and an elderly woman glared at them. “Stop screaming in front of my business! You’re scaring all the customers away!” she snapped, before slapping the door shut again.

“What? There ain’t no customers,” Atsumu said, looking around them in confusion.

Hinata started laughing in spite of himself. It quickly turned into a full-body cackle. Atsumu’s head whipped around, and he blinked a few times and then the line of his mouth wavered with amusement. There was real fondness in his gaze that made Hinata’s chest grow warm.

“What’s with that?” he asked.

Hinata bit his lip to control himself. Some more laughter escaped anyway. “You’re just always funny, Atsumu-san.”

Atsumu’s face lit up. “You think my jokes are funny?”

“No. But you’re still funny.” It was the earnestness with which he delivered all his quips and pronouncements. Also maybe the fact that Atsumu seemed to really think his jokes were funny. Hinata could only return Atsumu’s fondness by smiling widely up at him. He couldn’t help reacting this way to the familiar warmth of Atsumu next to him. This might have been bad news. A little bit. Hinata straightened up. “It’s just one of the things I like about you.”

“Oh.” Atsumu’s cheeks turned red. He was suddenly bashful. The sight of it was so sweet; Hinata took all of it in. Then he reached out and held onto the sleeve of Atsumu’s blazer with his fingertips. Atsumu’s eyes widened down at his hand. “Um.”

“Did you mean it that you like me too?”

“Yeah,” Atsumu croaked.

“Okay. Then, Atsumu-san, go out with me.”

Atsumu snorted rudely, which wasn’t unexpected at the rate this afternoon had been going. Hinata stood firm. Atsumu only shook his head and ran a hand through his carefully coiffed hair.

“You’re really greedy, huh? You’re gonna have your career but also the person you want waiting back at home for you, is that it?”

Hinata hadn’t thought of it that way, but it wasn’t exactly wrong. He shrugged. “If I don’t do this now, won’t we be missing our chance? That’s what happens in all the dramas when the protagonist goes abroad.”

At that, Atsumu started to laugh. It was loud and unrestrained, but it wasn’t mean. The corners of his eyes crinkled and his mouth opened wide. Hinata stared. Finally, when Atsumu’s laughter subsided, he wiped at his eyes and exhaled.

“Okay, I lost. I lost to ya, Hinata Shouyou.” His hand came over Hinata’s head and he stroked his hair. “I’ll go out with you. Whether it’s here or Brazil or even the Arctic.”

Hinata’s heart may have skipped a beat. Atsumu did have a way of being cool at the most critical moments without even meaning to. He nodded and lifted himself up onto his tiptoes to press a kiss square to Atsumu’s lips. Atsumu surprised him by kissing back and curling his hand over the nape of his neck. Hinata threw caution to the wind and let himself kiss Atsumu in the narrow alleyway, his chest fluttering with every brush of Atsumu’s lips against his. When they parted, they stared at each other with wide eyes before laughing.

“I’ll walk you home,” Atsumu said.

“Okay.”

They walked down the alley, side by side and shoulders bumping. The sights of the storefronts and sounds of vendors selling their fare were familiar, but none of it registered fully to Hinata. He had come out to treat Atsumu to brunch and would be going home like this.

“Atsumu-san.”

“Hm?”

“Earlier, at the hotel. Were you running away?”

Atsumu scowled. “No! I was just surprised. Like, really surprised. So I didn’t know how to react.” Then he added, “Sorry.”

So he’d been too overwhelmed to tell Hinata anything at all. Cute. But he’d told Hinata of his true heart in the end anyway—because Hinata had come with clean hands and heart, a wish nestled in his fingers and offered up for Atsumu’s taking.

And Atsumu had never once refused anything he’d given him before.

“You really do suit your namesake,” Hinata murmured.

“Huh?”

Hinata smiled and shook his head. The realization felt precious, like an artifact that needed to be carefully guarded from the elements. It didn’t seem right to speak it aloud, not even to Atsumu himself. Not yet, anyway.

“It’s nothing,” he said. “Atsumu-san, come over and we can watch something together.”

“More volleyball, yeah?”

“Of course!”

Hinata lowered his hand into Atsumu’s and grasped tightly onto it. They talked about which game to watch and debated whether to buy popcorn as they took to the familiar paths of their home.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy AtsuHina day, all!!! Shoutout to Miya Atsumu for moonlighting as a prophet while also being a national caliber athlete. I'm happy to have written something for these two for the first time in a while. May their love grow strong.


End file.
